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Battle Rules and Procedures

A project log for Circuit Wars

Kill the other Chip! In this Chess-like game of electronics skill, you must disable or destroy the opponent's microcontroller chip.

les-hallLes Hall 03/21/2015 at 13:010 Comments

OK, i have a set of rules to work with now. This is tentative but I think its a good starting point.

Each competitor (may be a team) is given 15 minutes on a chess clock (may be a phone app or a tangible chess clock) to place their components on the breadboard. Components may be placed anywhere on the battle breadboard.

Pins may not be shorted to power or ground except for power and ground themselves, which need not be directly connected if so desired. In nondestructive battles, transistors and inductors are left out of the kits, while in destructive competition, transistors and inductors are allowed.

When inserting a component, all of it's leads must be inserted for the move to be considered complete. If the referee observes an incomplete or ill-timed move, there is a one minute penalty. for this foul. Opponents may wish to intentionally foul to burn time if this is deemed advantageous.

Competitors may switch on power in any move after the move in which the power supply leads are connected. Once a component is placed, none of its leads may be relocated or removed, lest a one minute penalty occur.

Chip programming may be altered at any time during the placement session and preprogrammed code is permitted.

Once time runs out or both competitors declare they are GO for Battle, a 5 minute timer run by the referee's signal begins counting and the competitors may switch on their power supply switches at any time during that 5 minute interval.

Once the 5 minute time is expired, the referee declares a winner by determining the activity level of each chip using a chip clip and measuring the bandwidth of the chip's pins. Chips with zero activity level may not advance to the next round. In the event that both chips are active and both share the exact same activity level to within the tolerance of the measuring equipment, both competitors then advance to the next round. This is declared a "double win".

May the best team reign victorious!

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